Controversial truth about stretching

In many ways, the world of fitness is a lot like the world of fashion. Less time is dedicated to hair and makeup but, ultimately, vanity reigns. And those working in both of these industries are willing to starve —often quite literally — to get what they want. Pick up a current issue of any fitness magazine and you’ll find that, just like its glossy fashion counterparts, it’s filled with page after page of the latest and greatest ways to shed pounds, tone up and improve your life — fast! The ThighMaster and Billy Blanks' Tae Bo ads are long gone, replaced with this season’s “must try” classes and products. At the end of the day, it’s the cyclical nature of trends that allows both fashion and fitness to continue to thrive.

But just as with a crisp, white, button-down shirt or a swipe of red lipstick, there are some fitness classics — running, cycling and stretching — that never really go out of style. We’ve been taught that performing these activities on a regular basis will lead us to our peak wellness goals. They’re the gold standards of the industry: the sweat-inducing versions of Chanel, Hermes and Gucci. It’s easy to understand why fitness enthusiasts get a little touchy when industry experts question the merits of a cornerstone like stretching. It’s like telling a style-obsessed socialite her Birkin bag wasn’t the best investment. Do so at your own peril.

Controversial claims

Experts from around the globe were willing to suffer the fallout of such controversial claims when a slew of studies came out in 2011 suggesting we may not be gleaning the benefits we expect from limbering up. Worse, there’s evidence that stretching, in some situations, can be detrimental to athletic performance. The sports-medicine and fitness communities are now divided into two camps: those who believe in the benefits of stretching, and those who do not. As a result, the truth about stretching is being pulled in one direction or the other.

This is not to say that good things don’t come from regularly taking the time to stretch, but with all the conflicting research floating around, it’s difficult to know how to incorporate the optimal time and method into your workout regime.

According to Shane Kilburn, an exercise physiologist with Calgary's FitMetabolism Inc., working on mobility is more important than just stretching. “Mobility is the use of flexibility during movement, and is the most fundamental component of any health-and-wellness regime,” says Kilburn. “In this sense, stretching is vitally important, but the motion created by stretching must apply to movements that we make, or else that action is performed in vain.”

Kilburn says he often has clients come to him complaining of “tight hamstrings,” yet when he tests their range of motion, their hamstrings have proper flexibility. “What they lack is the proper foundation, often core stability, to exploit their range of motion during movement,” he says. “In these cases, hamstring stretches are not going to solve the movement compensation.”

Injury prevention

Kilburn acknowledges that the industry continues to perpetuate an uncertain relationship between stretching and injury prevention and performance, but he does believe it certainly can’t hurt, and that, in certain instances, it can help avoid injuries.

"Within exercise training, too often the region of complaint directs our approach," he explains. “Unfortunately, this practice has historically made us, not stretching, part of the problem.” In other words, if you concentrate only on stretching your sore neck muscles, you’ve probably neglected the rest of your body. And if you haven’t been subscribing to a regular, whole-body stretching routine for the last 25 years, your body is likely riddled with imbalances and hindered mobility. At this point, no amount of time dedicated to touching your toes is going to turn you into an Olympic hurdler or a hockey goalie who can cover the net in a single centre split.

Good news

Now for the good news: It's never too late to start working your way back to your body's natural range of motion, and doing so should help you avoid a multitude of problems later on in life.

Cary Bohnet, the fitness manager of One Wellness & Spa in Canmore, Alta., believes it’s the imbalances in flexibility that form in the body that lead to injuries. Therefore, he endorses the use of both static and dynamic stretching techniques with all of his clients. “Dynamic stretching is basically combining movement with stretching in short holds, while static stretching is a fixed position that is held for longer periods of time,” Bohnet explains. “Dynamic stretching is great for warming up and preparing the body for a workout. These techniques not only lengthen muscles, allowing you to move better during your workout, but they also activate many of the stabilizer muscles in the body.”

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not until after you’ve been put through the paces that you need to whip out the runners’ stretches. “Static stretching involves holding a position for a much longer time, usually 30 seconds or more,” says Bohnet. “These should generally be used after workouts, to focus on improving range of motion in areas of the body that have a flexibility imbalance, or are restricting proper movement.”

Just as with weight loss, seeing results from your stretching regime is all about consistency, as Kilburn is quick to emphasize. "More important than the actual timing of your stretching in relation to your workout is whether you do it regularly," he says. Monitoring and tracking the progress of your stretching against an industry-designed standard, like the Functional Movement Screen created by Gray Cook, is even better.

'Exercise practice'

The moral of the story seems to be that, contradictory scientific theories aside, stretching is a vital part of a balanced fitness program, not a flash-in-the-pan trend. “Stretching is an exercise practice, in and of itself, that needs to be endorsed by everyone for the long haul,” Kilburn says. “It does not seem to offer immediate benefits, but rather must be developed by following a regimented pattern of specific adaptations.”

Signing up for a 30-day hot-yoga challenge to try to max out your flexibility may be the fitness equivalent of crop tops: It’s hyper-trendy, but it does little good for most folks. On the other hand, practising both dynamic and static techniques on a regular basis is the equivalent of a Chanel tweed jacket: You’ll look and feel great in it for years to come.

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